Category Archives: Rocky Mountain West

Are you a part of the Republican base? Are you integral to any campaign strategy in Colorado? Well, I have a message for you, straight from John McCain.

You aren’t important.

Oh sure, he’ll say nice things about you, and give good answers to easy questions. But recently, he staked out a position that no Colorado politician would seriously consider. He said he wanted to renegotiate Colorado’s water rights. This isn’t a very hot issue in the media, but Coloradoans care about this issue.

Voters perceived it as urban centers taking water away from rural communities. It was deeply unpopular on the Western Slope. Now, it’s one thing to be on the unpopular side of an issue, and it’s entirely another to commit electoral suicide. Take a look at the Western Slope counties that Bush won in 2004; his wins are in red.

Here’s a lesson in local politics for John McCain: don’t mess with Colorado water. Referendum A failed in every single county. That said, opposition was strongest on the Western Slope. Western Slope counties in red voted 70% or higher against Referendum A.

In San Juan county, only 12 voted for Referendum A. That’s not a typo. 12 people, total.

Lest you think Coloradoans aren’t passionate about water, keep in mind that 622,716 people voted against the issue in an off-year election. Ken Salazar sums up his thoughts on renegotiating the compact:

Senator McCain’s position on opening up the Colorado River Compact is absolutely wrong and would only happen over my dead body.

Republican Senate candidate Bob Schaffer has a position on renegotiation as well:

Opening it for renegotiation would be the equivalent of a lamb discussing with a pack of wolves what should be on the dinner menu.

Whether he realizes it or not, John McCain just gave the political equivalent of the middle finger to Colorado ranchers and farmers.